ORLANDO, Fla. — Public health officials are warning we could see another spike in COVID-19 cases because of the UK variant, that is now here in the United States.
And some researchers say Floridians have an even higher risk of getting infected by the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the U.S. has at least 470 cases of the strains first reported in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil. Most of the cases, including more than 140 in Florida, were caused by the more contagious variant first detected in the UK.
On Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci explained that mutations of the virus can be suppressed if enough people get vaccinated and
he’s pushing for as many people to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, even as variants continue to pop up.
“Variants remain a great concern and we continue to detect them in the United States,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
Watch: Florida launches platform to pre-register for COVID-19 vaccine appointments: How to sign up
The coronavirus variant that was first identified in the United Kingdom has been associated with faster transmission and may be more deadly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning the variant may be the dominant strain in the United States by March.
The CDC also says at least 32 states have confirmed cases of the variant first identified in the United Kingdom.
Two states also recently detected cases of a variant first identified in South Africa.
Dr. Anthony Fauci again stressed the need for Americans get vaccinated, saying, “You need to get vaccinated when it becomes available as quickly and as expeditiously as possible throughout the country.”
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The CDC says more than 25 million Americans have already received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine , with about 5.5 million receiving two doses so far.
The CDC now says there are 147 cases of the UK variant in Florida. Florida continues to lead the country, with more variant cases than any other state.
Watch: Here’s where to find the COVID-19 vaccine in your county
Researchers from Columbia University say Floridians could have a higher risk of COVID-19 infection right now, because the state isn’t implementing any other measures to slow the spread.
For months, White House task force reports under President Trump advised the state to close or restrict gyms, indoor dining and more, but Florida hasn’t done that.
Cox Media Group
